Electric food press processor appliance

ABSTRACT

The present invention may be used to process various foods by pressing them through a receiving receptacle equipped with a processing disk. A body may have a plurality of platforms, frames and support configurations conducive for efficient function. A motor may be in the uppermost section of the body. A switch of choice may activate the motor and set in motion the press process. A ball bearing assembly and press assembly may complete the food press processing function. A receiving receptacle may receive produce for processing by the press plate and push produce through a processing disk, cup or sieve. A set of micro switches may serve to control the electric and mechanical function specific to the task. A press plate with configurations compatible to the disk selected may complete the process when the processed produce is dispensed into a dish or appropriate container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to electric food preparation and processing foodmaterial into various shapes and textures. This invention combinesmanual and electric powered food preparation as the exclusive methodthereby eliminating manual effort as the singular method to achievedesired outcome. Specifically this invention relates to a significantlydifferent processing system wherein food material is pressed verticallyand combined with a broad array of attachments the results lead to easein processing food materials into shapes and textures both beneficialand convenient.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the past and present, food processors typically rotate horizontallyusing cutters, slicers and shredding disks or blade attachments tofacilitate various repetitive tasks in the preparation of food. Toachieve that end a number of parts are incorporated rather than a fixedblade. The present technology is limiting in some respects as some foodsto be processed require said processor's parts and attachments to bedisassembled to remove incompatible food materials before a differentcan be processed. The history of the food processor dates back toGermany in 1946 and later a French citizen noted a large amount of timein the kitchen chopping, shredding and mixing and a new addition wasborn, the bowl with a revolving blade.

Electric food processors of the type described in the field of theInvention sector have been largely classified into several kinds basedon mechanical, structural and electric variances. Essentially theprocessing aspect involves food material subjected to cutting by ahorizontal disk-cutter driven rotationally by a motor within astructural containment apparatus. One kind of which is referred to as astorage type which accommodates the cut pieces within a bowl to collectprocessed food material, while the other kind is called a cut piecedischarge type which is arranged to discharge the cut pieces out of thecontainer.

In the known electric food processor of the type described, the foodprocessor of the processed discharge type adapted to discharge the foodmaterials out of the container has been generally constituted by a mainbody in which an electric motor is incorporated, a container placed onthe main body, a disk shaped attachment driven by an electric motor forrotation within the container, a disk member positioned below the cutterfor rotation in the same direction as that of the cutter so as todischarge the cut pieces processed by the cutter out of the container, acontainer cover of an opening, and a pusher for pressing food materialto be cut towards the cutter through a cylindrical feed tube or chargeport provided in part of said container lid, etc. Moreover, thedisk-shaped cutter and the disc member for discharging the cut piecesmay be adapted to be replaced by an S-shaped cutter so as to enablecutting or shredding within the container.

The conventional electric food processor of the cut piece dischargevariety constructed in the above expressed way is capable ofcontinuously effecting a large amount of cutting without being limitedby the size of the container, but there has been such an inconveniencethat the material to be processed must be preliminarily cut into smallpieces for pushing through the cylindrical charge port of the foodprocessor. Another disadvantage in the known food processor as describedabove is such that, although it is preferable to rotate the disk-likecutter at low speed to prevent the cut pieces from losing shape,performance of the food processor is undesirably lowered particularlyduring use of the S-shaped cutter as referred to above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention obviates the drawbacks and difficulties that existin prior art devices and provides a relatively simple, convenient,reliable and efficient way of processing food material.

Briefly, in the preferred embodiments disclosed herein, the presentinvention relates to an electrically-driven food press processor. Themechanical components are activated through a number of initialactivation switches, printed circuit board and micro switches. TheInitial Activation Switches start the press process electrically andrely on the printed circuit board as a way of eliminating some of thewiring normally found in some small appliances, plus the circuit boardsignals if an electric component malfunctions. The micro switchesactivate or deactivate electric current but have no control to initiatepress activity on its own. The press components including one horizontalpress plate comprise three vertical components, a central shaft and twovertical stabilizing rod and are named the press assembly. The pressassembly is activated by a switch from an externally placed bank ofswitches. The motor, activated by an ascend of descend switch, startsthe press process activating the press assembly and the food materialhaving been placed in the receiving receptacle is pressed through asieve, cutter, dicer, masher, juicer or some other designated attachmentchosen for the press processing task.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill become better understood with reference to the following drawings,description, claims and abstract.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A. Illustrates the perspective view of the electric food pressprocessor according to the embodiment of the invention. The annotationincluded in the drawing, 1/9, describe the changes and show the originaldrawing and the annotated drawing.

FIG. 1B. Illustrates another perspective of the electric food pressprocessor according to the embodiment of the invention that illustratesa view of the press assembly making contact with the receivingreceptacle, additionally, the annotations included in 2/9 specify thosechanges clarifying their relationship in later drawings and how theyrelate to the function of said press assembly.

FIG. 2. Illustrates front view of the invention and includes similarannotation shown in 3/9 specific to press structure.

FIG. 3. Illustrates a perspective of the exterior of the invention andthe singular annotation is the drawing number, 4/9.

FIG. 4. Illustrates in a New Sheet a perspective of the ball bearingassembly. This is shown on a New Sheet and demonstrates the relationshipbetween the ball bearing assembly, the vertical shaft, the inner race ofthe ball bearing, and the way the shoulder of the vertical shaft servesto become an abutment that secures the inner race to the vertical shaftwherein they become the driving force the motor utilizes to descend thepress assembly to successfully complete its mission of processing foodmaterial through a strictly vertical press process.

FIG. 5. Illustrates, in a New Sheet, a perspective of the press assemblyin the clearest possible way and how the horizontal platforms, bothupper and lower, serve to stabilize the press assembly function.

FIG. 6. Illustrates, in a New Sheet, a perspective of the micro switchesfor the ascending mode, thus they serve to end or start electric currentbut cannot activate vertical movement in either direct initially, theycontrol electric current solely in either descend of ascend throughactivation switches placed externally.

FIG. 7. Illustrates, in a New Sheet, a perspective of the micro switchesfor the descend mode, thus they serve to end or start electric currentbut cannot activate vertical movement in either direct initially, theycontrol electric current solely in either descend of ascend throughactivation switches placed externally.

FIG. 8. Illustrates, in a New Sheet, a perspective of a reduced cup whena need for specific food items requiring more concentrated processingemerge.

FIG. 9. Illustrates, in a New Sheet, a perspective of the receivingreceptacle, the mesh sieve, and the base platform thus simplifyingprocessing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description represents the best currentlycontemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is notto be taken in a limiting sense, but made merely for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1A, the inner structure may be made of a sturdymaterial resistant to pressure and persistent mechanical movement andconsist of horizontal platforms 48, 49 of high density material tocontain the ball bearing assembly that takes the brunt of upwardpressure as the press assembly makes contact with food placed in thefood receiving receptacle 45, 51. When the press assembly 50, 43, 44 isactivated into a descending action, the top of the stabilizing rods 43allow the micro switches 52 a, 52 b to activate ascending currentdeactivated when the press assembly makes contact with the micro switchcontacts 72 and recesses the contacts 72, thus in that specified recessthe electric current is deactivated and cannot be activatedautomatically until a switch located at the top FIG. 3 is pressed.Electric current is deactivated when contact by the top of thestabilizing rods reaches the micro switch 70 and the contacts 72 arerecessed. The micro switches are secured to the horizontal platform 56so that the protruding button 73 in the micro switch is accessible tothe outer vertical surfaces of the stabilizing rods 43. When descend isactivated by a switch shown in FIG. 3 depicting the external electricfood press processor and the row of push buttons 6, is activated, thestabilizing rods 43 in their descend mode glide downward past thecontacts, FIG. 7, 75 that have been recessed in the micro switch 53 a,53 b frame and the opposite occurs since ascend micro switch contactsFIG. 6, 79 protrude when active and are recessed 75 when electricallyinactive. The micro switch function is specific, they activate anddeactivate power that is controlled initially by the switches shown inFIG. 3, 6, 7, 8. 9 and cannot initiate activation on their own.

The electric current is activated to ascend as the stabilizing rods 43glide downward and the contacts FIG. 6 79 just inside the micro switches52 a, 52 b protrude outward and the ascend current to the externalswitch FIG. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 bank is activated as the stabilizing rodsdescend.

There are few steps involved when the electric food press is used.Illustrated in FIG. 3, switches 6, 7, 8, 9, of which one activates thedescend action, one activates the ascend action, one to pause/start, andone to stop action as needed.

In FIG. 1A, the motor 47 when activated in whatever switch selection ismade, rotates the shaft either clockwise or counterclockwise, dependingon ascent switch selected, or descent switch selected, however ascendcannot be activated once the press assembly is in its most uppermostposition. When the press assembly is in a power to start position, startmeaning at the uppermost portion of the mechanical process as shown inFIG. 1A specifically showing 43, 44, 50 set to descend the pressassembly 43, 44, 50 having been activated by contact with the microswitches 53 a, 53 b shown in FIG. 1A. The activation contact linked tothe switch of descend 6 shown in FIG. 3 initiates activation of the foodprocessor to descend. If the descend button 6 is accidentally pressedwhen the press assembly, FIG. 1A 43, 44, 50 is activated nothing willhappen since the micro switch 53 a, 53 b see FIG. 1A, current after thetop end of the stabilizing bars 43 are descending and the microswitches, FIG. 1A, 52 a, 52 b contacts, FIG. 7, 73 protrude in the fulldescend mode, current has been automatically activated to the ascendswitch 7 shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 1A, below the motor 47 is its connecting shaft merged to thethreaded rod 42. The threaded rod 42 is secured within the ball bearingassembly 41 inner race 67 which is secured by an upper collar 62, FIG.4, kept secure to the inner race 67 by a nut 66 and lock washer 64 shownin FIG. 4.

Horizontal platforms 48, 49 FIG. 1A contain the ball bearing assembly 41outer race making it immobile which frees the inner race, FIG. 4 makingthe inner race 67 free to rotate whenever an activation demand isselected. The horizontal platform 48, 49 in FIG. 1A are secured to theframe body in several ways using hardware components and strategicallyplaced vertical braces to prevent upward pressure when the pressassembly 43, 44, 50, FIG. 1A pressing downward against food placed intothe receiving receptacle 51 FIG. 9 from becoming a malfunction issue asthe cellulose density of produce is not such that it can overcome thematerial density of the food processor body structure.

In FIG. 1A, the circuit board 57 is directly wired to the micro switches52 a, 52 b, 53 a, 53 b, and the external activation switches 6, 7, 8, 9,FIG. 3, and is like a traffic controller in that it replaces multiplewiring and activates current as activation sources are contacted.

In FIG. 1A, the receiving receptacle 51 is filled partially of yet to beprocessed food items, after the press assembly has completed its taskthe food selected is pushed through the cup or processing disk byconfigured spine like projections that push through and past the dicing,slicing, meshing, cubing or juicing processing receptacle and force theprocessing result onto the bottom platform 46 FIG. 1A or into anappropriate container chosen by the food preparer.

In FIG. 4, the externally threaded rod's collar 62, and washer 64 andnut 66 keep the upward pressure when the press is in descend mode fromovercoming the ball bearing assembly 41 while the platforms 48,49 keepsthe ball bearing assembly 41 in a containment mode. The outer race ischecked by the containment platforms 48, 49 FIG. 1A keeping the ballbearing assembly stable. The upper end of the threaded rod 65 is open 61FIG. 4 and the shaft of the motor 47 FIG. 1A fits securely within itsinner walls and may be held in place by a horizontal rod through theshaft and upper fitting.

While the invention has been fully shown and described with reference tothe illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the foregoing and targeted changes in form anddetails may be made without departing from the character and scope ofthe invention.

I claim:
 1. An electric food press processor for vertically pressingfood material comprising: a body of vertical frames and horizontalplatforms of high density material assembled as a support system for anelectric food press processor; an electric motor provides the mechanicalpower for processing food materials; a vertical rod whose upper end isconnected to the shaft of the drive motor; said shoulder abutment ofsaid vertical rod seats against the upper inner race rim of the ballbearing assembly wherein appropriate hardware secures the lower innerrace firmly contained in a vice like grip thus forming a rotatable hubwhen activated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; theball bearing assembly a horizontally placed wherein the inner race asopposed to the outer race, the latter being the race immobilized byupper and lower platforms, is free to rotate in whatever directionselected; appropriate hardware secure the low end of the inner racefirmly against the vertical rod upper shoulder abutment thus lockingsaid vertical rod and said ball bearing inner race into a rotationalmode whenever selected; said vertical rod is externally threaded to itslower end point wherein it connects to an internally threaded verticalshaft compatible with external threads of said vertical rod; ahorizontal press plate is adjoined to said vertical shaft andstabilizing rods; said press plate is fitted with vertical stabilizingrods on each side of the shaft wherein the shaft, stabilizing rods andpress plate comprise a press assembly; a bank of external switchesinitiate control options of which descend, ascend, stop, and pause/startare externally placed and accessible; a printed circuit board serves todirect selected function choices, is programmed to alert the user if amalfunction should result; two horizontal platforms guide descend andascend action of the press assembly; said horizontal upper platform,secured to the frame, has three holes, one specific to the verticalshaft circumference, and two specific to the stabilizing rodscircumference thus serve as guides and stabilize descend and ascendmotion; said horizontal lower platform of exact dimensions as the uppersaid horizontal platform, secured to said frame, has three holes, onespecific to the vertical shaft circumference, and two specific to thestabilizing rod circumference thus working in conjunction with the upperhorizontal platform as stabilizing factors; said horizontal platformshave micro switches placed in proximity to each of said stabilizing rodguide holes; said micro switches serve to inactivate or activateelectric current though the deactivate actually ends the automationprocess of the press assembly and it stops; said micro switch activationdoes not start the press assembly ascend or descend, that can be doneonly by the appropriate switch situated externally at the top of thefood press processor's outer cover, it activates current to the controlswitch and thus end the press process but cannot activate the pressprocess; the upper guide platform is specific to the ascend function;when said ascend switch is activated into an automatic mode it ends whenthe top of the stabilizing rods top presses against the protrudingbutton tip of the micro switches thus recessing the button thatdeactivates electric current thus ending the ascend motion; conversely,when the descend switch is activated, the press assembly is put inmotion and the press assembly descends; said stabilizing rods descenduntil they reach said lower micro switches whose buttons remain recesseduntil the stabilizing rods slide past the lower micro switch recessedtips, when said buttons not longer are in contact with the stabilizingrods they protrude thus deactivating electric and the press assemblystops; said press assembly has completed its descending motion thus foodmaterial is dispensed through the processing receiving receptacle; saidprocessed food is collected from whatever container has been placed andthe process is complete; said electric current has ended for the descendmode, and will remain so until the ascend switch is activated and thestabilizing rods ascend and activate descend by the stabilizing rodscontact with the micro switch button located on the upper horizontalplatform; said horizontal lower guide platform is specific to thedescend function when the stabilizing rods descend below the buttons ofthe micro switches; said ascend switch when activated sends the top ofthe stabilizing rods upward and once they pass against the micro switchbutton and recess them electric current can be activated by the descendcontrol switch but remains inactive until activated the upper microswitch; as said stabilizing rods descend or ascend thus making contactto or withdrawing contact from micro switch buttons that control currentwithin said micro switches, electric current is activated or deactivatedbut have no direct activation control to actually initiate the pressplate into action, such action is linked to external switches accessiblefrom the external cover of the electric food press processor; programmedinto the printed circuit board is a failsafe feature whereby current isdeactivated should both micro switches fail; said printed circuit boardis linked with any malfunction of electric components should electricfailure occur therein an alert light is activated; said food receivingreceptacle is selected according to the requirements of the operatorregarding size, shape and texture; a processing receptacle that slidesand seats onto a horizontal frame for processing produce into selectedconfigurations according to the processing disk or cup selected; saidreceiving platform at the base of the body for collecting completedprocessed food matter either on the horizontal receiving platform or adish or tray used for that purpose; a printed circuit board to monitorand direct activation choices, descend, ascend, pause/start, stop andmay include speed control or other features; a frame that keeps allhorizontal platforms securely in place; an external cover of appropriatematerial with open entry for easy access to the horizontal base platformupon completion of the press process wherein a disk or tray can serve tocollect processed food material.
 2. The electric food press processor asin claim 1 wherein the receiving receptacle is held in place by ahorizontal frame compatible to its size which can be removedhorizontally upon completion of the press process after the ascendswitch is activated thus withdrawing the press assembly upward and clearof the receiving receptacle.
 3. The electric food press processor as inclaim 1 wherein a motor is held in place atop the horizontal platform orabove the platform whereby its shaft is joined to the vertical threadedrod.
 4. The electric food press processor as in claim 1 wherein a steeldisk may be inserted into the receiving receptacle orifice and seatsagainst a stop at the bottom most part of the receiving receptacle. 5.The electric food press processor as in claim 1 wherein a processingdisk within a containment cup that slides into the receiving receptaclewhereby the stop ring at the bottom of the receiving receptacle readiesthe press process for whatever produce is selected to be pressed.